Shadow Slave

It was growing near, the moment Sunny feared.

He did not really care if Valor won or lost. All he cared about was making sure that there were enough Awakened left alive in the aftermath of the battle to continue defending the siege capitals across Antarctica until the winter solstice.

But for that, he needed Clan Song to be defeated in a swift and decisive fashion. Which didn't seem to be possible anymore... in fact, from what he saw, the most probable result of the battle was the one he had wanted to avoid at all costs- mutual destruction.

The forces of Song were going to win, but the closer they came to victory, the more furiously the warriors of Valor would fight. In the end, it was going to be a massacre.

...Unless Morgan had something planned.

But what could it be?

'Damn it, damn it...'

Sunny could think of only one way to quickly break the tide of the battle - eliminate Beastmaster. But the alluring Saint was hidden from his sight, and so, he couldn't even attempt to attack her.

In the absence of the real target, there was a secondary goal he wanted to achieve. It was not something that his calculating mind had deemed the most beneficial in the current situation, but simply something he desired.

Sunny did not want to see Saint Tyris die.

So, he was intending to help her. Maybe that would force Beasmaster to keep suppressing Sky Tide without switching to other targets, as well...Currently, Sunny was in the very thick of the furious melee between the two armies. There were swords flashing and blood spilling on all sides, the terrible cacophony of the battle assaulting his ears at the same time as the vile ugliness of it all assaulted his eyes. Numerous Aspects were turning the somber Antarctic plain into a feverish nightmare, and the overcast sky was on the verge of unleashing a heavy rain.

In front of him, an Ascended of Clan Song easily cut down a valiant Awakened of Clan Valor. He had noticed her a long time ago as she moved across the battlefield, leaving a trail of blood and death in her wake. The woman's Aspect seemed to do with manipulating blood - a stream of it spiraled around her like a scarlet ribbon, sometimes shooting forward to pierce the heavy armor of her enemies as if it was paper.

Their eyes met for a moment, and then, the Ascended lunged into an attack.

Sunny was faster.

sword. A split second later, the blade

have slain an Ascended

'Waste...'

and grabbed the creature by the neck. It shattered in his grip, and

slain a

the Awakened was killed by an enchanted arrow that slid into the visor of his

'Waste...'

bar his way - three of them, all covered in blood and with

at their ankles. The Sin of Solace flashed three times, and

'Such a damned waste!'

evaded everyone else. Nevertheless, the shadow he had sent forward was much faster

Shadow Step to appear near Sky Tide instantly, and not a moment too soon. She was completely surrounded by enemies, cutting them down with her sword. Even though Tyris had been denied her Transcendent form, and even though she was continuously withstanding a ruinous mental assault, she was still

she

and used the rebound force to spin and deliver a crushing kick

the enemy, but right now, they were surrounded from all sides - no matter how Sunny turned, he

have eyes at the back of their heads. He, however, had shadow sense, and could look upon the world

did not have blind spots, and he also

while his skin was hard

didn't mean that he was

as soon as he reached Saint Tyris, he was overwhelmed by a sudden feeling of dread. Sunny did not know the reason for it, but it was as though... as

No, not indifference... emptiness.

what is this

which gave the enemies an opportunity to

wrapping around his legs - just like the shadows he had used a dozen seconds ago